The Gordon Research Conference on "Mechanisms of Toxicity" will be held from July 27 to 31, 1987 at the Kimball Union Academy in Meridan, New Hampshire. The conference is designed to attract toxicologists in academia, industry and government laboratories who are actively engaged in research on the mechanisms by which chemicals cause toxicity with the ultimate goal of understanding how chemicals might threaten the health and well being of humans or their environment. The Mechanisms of Toxicity GRC evolved from the Toxicology and Safety Evaluation Conference and the first conference was held in 1985. At each of the conferences the attendees elect the vice-chair for the next conference and this vice-chair becomes the chairperson of the following conference. Past chairs serve as advisory and nominating committees to plan future conferences and nominate candidates for election to vice-chair, respectively. Nominations are also taken from the floor. Chairs are selected by the conference chairperson for each daily program in consultation with the advisory committee. These people are selected for their expertise in an area of toxicology and in consultation with the conference chairpersons they select the speakers for the days program. In addition the chair for each day presents an introductory lecture on the topic of the day. A special lecture is presented on Thursday evening. This year the speaker is Professor Emeritus Herbert Remmer of the Toxicology Department of the University of Tubingen, who will speak on the risk of side-stream cigarette smoke. The program will consist of sessions consisting of an introductory lecture plus two research presentations in the morning and two more in the evening. One subject will be presented on Thursday and Friday morning with the introductory lecture given Thursday morning. All afternoons are free but impromptu sessions are usually held. Poster sessions are informally scheduled from 4 to 5 p.m. every day. Total attendance is limited by the Gordon Conference rules to approximately 150. In order to provide the means of effective communication and collaboration in such a diverse field on toxicology, unifying programs and discussions are crucial to stimulating significant advances in the field. The Gordon Research Conference provides an excellent setting where scientists in disciplines which normally never meet can gather in informal discussions for extended and uninterrupted time both to learn from each other and help each other.